Teacher thank you cards for Pre-K

Last night I made these cards to say thank you to Sams Pre-K teachers. His Pre-K class finishes on Thursday and I didn't just want to give them Christmas cards when he leaves, but wanted to give them thank you cards too along with their gifts. The cards are very different styles because the teachers are very different in personality ;)

I want to see this!!!

Anyone seen it? It looks so good - I've never seen it before but it was recommended it on a blog today....I think I'm gonna pick it up tomorrow....

Good luck in your new home...

Thought I'd share this fun new picture of my Nan (she's still as funny as ever!!) that I got from my dad this afternoon! It came with the news that my Nan has FINALLY left the hospital after more than SIX MONTHS of being stuck in hospital with a broken arm!!! Yes, a broken arm!!! Unfortunately she wasn't able to go home to her own home as she isn't able to care completely for herself any more. She's now 97 I think and has Osteoporosis and poor eyesight, so it has taken a long time for the bone in her arm to heal and for them to find somewhere suitable for her (and nice enough) for her to move to.

But luckily now my Mom and Dad have found her a lovely place in the town of Dorchester. So my Nan moved to her new home TODAY! I hope she settles in fast and feels at home very soon! And best of all I have an Email address for them!!!! Thats wonderful!!!

Sams new pet.....

Sam has been growing this little guy in our bathroom since Monday night....it started off teeny tiny and you fill the egg with water and then over the course of a couple of days you add more water, and the panda magically 'grows'.....it's literally called 'grow your own panda'.

tacky yes :) expensive no :)

And it makes Sam happy :) he swears the bear is STILL growing!

It reminds me of when I was still in Scotland and Lloyd would make trips over to Edmonton for various things - meetings with Intuit, to set up bank accounts and various other business issues...he would ask me if there was ever anything I would like brought back. I always said the same thing - a polar bear - I said we could keep it in the garage and it could occasionally come in and lie by my feet while we watch tv. In the end he bought me a hot water bottle from Marks and Spencers that came in a fluffy cover that was shaped like a polar bear :)

Swap-bot Blog link swapping..

I'm taking part in a blog link swap on swap-bot - we get to swap our blog link with three Swap-bot members. Check out their blogs for w while and get to know each other via our blogs! I think it;s such a great idea and I've already come across a few new blogs that I love!! I've signed up for two of these swaps to begin with and will see how they go! And small world - one of the swappers I was matched with is from Alberta and last year she took part in that Christmas journaling workshop that I'm considering THIS year!!! How neat is THAT?????? Small world for sure!!!

Anyway if you see some new faces commenting around here over the next few weeks, you know why ;)

And if you're here visiting because you've received my link through swap-bot - WELCOME!! Make yourself at home, please feel free to leave comments, which I LOVE.....and have a good look through the archives...I've kept this blog since 2006 and it holds many wonderful memories...Summers full of hummingbirds, frogs, days at the lake, splash parks, Canada Day Celebrations, visitors from England, Fall pictures, Halloween fun, our dogs, getting our pet pig, Christmas, snow pictures, sledding, campfires, Disney World, my wedding in Florida, birthday celebrations, my Sons graduation from Jr High, homeschooling pictures, school pictures.....family, friends, animals, natures, the Rocky Mountains, Vancouver, Whistler, Scotland.......scrapbooking, artist trading cards, recipes......

Enjoy!

Homeschooling Blog

I've made my homeschooling blog private - if you are interested in reading it, please leave me a comment here with your email address and I will send you an invitation! I won't add your comment I will just delete it :) Thanks! It seems very possible that Abigail will be returning to homeschooling after Christmas. Not definite as yet but it is looking very likely.

A return to homeschooling?

Well, after 3 months in school, it looks as though Abigail may be returning to homeschooling after all. We've had a couple of meetings with her teacher and with the counselor and we've talked to Abigail about whether she would be happier in a different class after Christmas, whether she would be bored at home or miss her friends, but she is fairly insistent that she WANTS to stay at home and go back to her drama classes, maybe ice skating...the homeschool group at the library...back to her friends from homeschooling and her laid back lifestyle.

Abigail is very bright, doing great in math and science and her reading is well ahead and all that jazz....but her OCD's from her tourettes are holding her back. She can't get her writing finished as fast as the other children, she's easily distracted, she's almost 2 years younger than some in her class....she tends to leave things at school so half the time she doesn't bring her homework home or she won't write down what it is or she won't remember things so doesn't get assignments done....

So what to do - put her in grade one? Is that the answer? So we had her tested by the school counselor and she said no she's in the right grade for her work.....Abigail says she would prefer to homeschool than go into grade one. This surprised me. Although I do wonder how she would have faired in grade one.

She has been home for most of the last week....she had a cold and cough but really just needed some tlc. She went back yesterday but came home and STILL did not like school....came home and asked AGAIN to homeschool. But we have said that she can not keep coming in and out of school that she has to stay out if she comes out - at least for a few years. We suggested she try until Christmas and decide but she said she just wants to leave now.

I have always said I would NEVER force a child of mine to go to school unhappily because I can't think of anything worse than being force to go like that. And as much as I am enjoying my quiet days at home during the week, Abigail has to come first. At least while Sam is in pre-K we can go swimming and do things together which will be nice to do with her - maybe Kidz Quarterz etc. And I had already planned out a grade 2 curriculum for her so I guess we will deschool until Christmas and then start grade 2 after Christmas.

So yes, it looks as though we are starting homeschooling again!

The squirrels stash!!!

The workmen pulled down a lot of the front porch today, including the ceiling of the porch! Unfortunately our little squirrel friend 'Frank' has been stashing his winter hoard up there...I can't believe he manages to carry up those entire corn cobs all the way up into the porch roof!

I feel really guilty that we've knocked down his winter hoard but we'll be feeding him all winter so he won't go hungry. The new ceiling product is 'critter proof' so he won't be able to get into it at all. Neither will the wasps to make their nests.

Finally...someone feels the same as us!!!

elizabethkartchner.blogspot.com/2008/11/can-i-get-my-8-bucks-back.html

Someone feels the same as Lloyd and I about the movie ;) FINALLY!!!!

Randoms..........

Outside my window...

The dogs are barking...chasing each other during tonights walk with Chris....


I am thinking...

I wish I had opened the peaches instead of the fruit cocktail...I like fruit cocktail but really I was in the mood for JUST peaches. I don't like fresh peaches but I love, love, LOVE tinned peaches...sooooo juicy!!!


I am thankful for...

Today being almost done - its been a long day and I'm glad it's almost done!


From the learning rooms...

We've done pottery today and learned about pinch pots. I'm still undecided about whether to take the journaling class in December...but I AM leaning towards signing up......


From the kitchen...

I think I'm going to go downstairs and make a big bowl of popcorn. We don't own a microwave - and no there will NOT be one in our new kitchen (we will however have a speed oven in the kitchen which is kind of similar) so I will be making popcorn in a pan with a lid and the kids love to watch....


I am wearing...

Jeans, t-shirt, black socks and a grey fleecy jacket that my Mom and Dad sent me from Marks and Spencers :)


I am creating...

ATC's for swaps, Christmas cards, Christmas tree ornaments, clay pinch pots and ornaments with the children, cookies :) various other things......mini albums, scrapbook layouts, felt things, water colour paintings, gifts.......


I am going...

....to have a lovely big party as soon as my kitchen is finished!!! :)


I am reading...

this months O magazine, this months WW magazine and this months Running Room magazine...


I am hoping...

That 2009 is a better year for EVERYONE :)
.

I am hearing...

Sam play with his bricks beside......Lloyd sleeping gently in bed beside me too (he isn't well) and the kids bumping about downstairs....


Around the house...

We have a LOT of work taking place but my house is going to look soooooo pretty when its all finished and its going to be sooo worth it :)


One of my favorite things...

is seeing Lloyds car drive up the driveway as he gets home from work each day....


A few plans for the rest of the week:

Parent/ teacher interviews tomorrow night. Pre-K on Thursday. Christopher's dentist appt on Thursday. The children have a day off of school on Friday. Festival of Trees this weekend....Christmas shopping....a date night....going to my friends house on Friday as she is having a sale to raise funds for an Orphanage in Ethiopia!

If you read this you are TAGGED!!!!

All the stores but just one cart!!!!

ca.shop.com/

Saw this on 'Life as Lou' and thought it was a great idea and was then THRILLED to see they have a Canadian version...the only time of year I shop online is Christmas...and I don't like to surf endless sites or use my credit card very often, so this site seems ideal as I can use my card once and get everything in one purchase.

Life as Lou does a MUCH better review...but then she gets paid for hers I think ;)

The masked devil revealed ;)

Yes Dad you were right, it was Laurie in the zipped hoody!!

Clay hut day....

Abigail is not at school today....so she has missed out on a field trip with the lady from the 'clay hut' in Sherwood Park - who taught my pottery class. I'm really sad she missed out, so I thought I would teach her myself! We've played with clay a lot in the past, so I know Abigail loves it, but we haven't made the pinch pots that I was taught by the clay hut! I am thinking that if they were going to be taught a real 'technique' today, then probably THIS is what they will be taught. And if not, then at least Abigail can take her pinch pot in to school tomorrow with pride and show her class what she made at home with some information on pinch pots to show they are real and have history!

We massaged the clay until it was nice and soft and then rolled it into balls before using our thumbs to create the pinch pots.

Sam had fun making one too and then had fun squishing it - but then he made a snowman too! I enjoyed showing them the technique of connecting clay together using vinegar and rough edges and then sealing the joins with extra clay and smooting it over the join. Abigail made a bear using this method and sam is waiting for his snowman to dry and then we are going to paint it and glue on buttons! I'll photograph them when we are finished!

Oh so tempted.......

www.shimelle.com/classes/

This new writing class looks wonderful......but I'm wondering if it would be a little over-commitment with the holiday season upon us....or would it be a little wonderful step back and some relaxation and a little just-what-I-need????

hhhmmmm $30 US too????? thats pricey for an online workshop when you don't know the quality but once you sign up you can rejoin every year.....

For Tess...

Your ATC's made me remember MY Strawberry Shortcake doll...and here she is! I don't have her hat any more, and her hair doesn't smell any more, but she still has her shoes and stripy tights! Not a great picture as my flash needs charging and I had to take the picture in the bathroom by the sink lol....but here she is :) She must be about 28 or so years old I guess......

Random questions........

What is one thing you said you would never do...but did?

I held a tarantula!! I am an arachnophobe!! I am totally terrified of spiders! Luckily here in Alberta we don't get very big spiders - not the big hairy fast European house spider type they get back home - I think they get them in damp BC and other parts of Canada, but I have never seen anything that really scared me here in Alberta - you sometimes get dime sized things here - maybe even quarter sized spiders but I've never seen anything bigger in the house at least here. Thin legged daddy long legs type things is all.....but in England they have these HUGE hairy spiders that come in and out of the house in huge numbers every Spring and Fall. I remember in the Fall of 2000 I think we had had a really damp Summer and the spiders were HUGE and their numbers so immense they were just everywhere - it was like every morning I would open the curtains and spiders would run down them...I could never sue a shower with a curtain because the curtains would have spiders in them. It is only after years of being in canada and getting used to no house spiders that I can use shower curtains again.

I remember one night when my Ex was at work...there was a huge spider on the stairs. the phone was upstairs - as were my children! they were asleep! I was downstairs and couldn't get to the phone to call my husband to get him to come home form work to get rid of the spider for me! So I had to go on the computer and ICQ a total stranger and give him my husbands cell phone number at work and get him to call him and get him to come home from work to get rid of the spider!!! THAT is how scared of spiders I am!!!

I always said I would never be able to hold a tarantula, but when I had moved in with lloyd, we went to a butterfly and INsect centre, and they had a tarantula there and were letting people hold her. Lloyd held her and I was beside him and then I just put my hand out and held her too. She just didn't seem very spider-like! She was too furry and slow!! I think for me its their speed....all those legs and how fast they can move. I woke up one night and had a spider on my forehead...YUCK :( But also one day one ran across my kitchen floor and I screamed so loud that I actually saw the spider jump in fear and run off - now I don't know if they can hear or if it was reacting to the vibrations but it was obviously very afraid! that didn't help my fear - I HATE them still - even after holding the tarantula!

Tarantula's don't scare me. Lloyd would like to have one as a pet and I WOULD let him except I don't trust Lloyd - I don't trust him to not play tricks on me - I don't trust him to not put it on me when I'm not expecting it - and it would scare me and I would fling it or squash it or something and that isn't fair....on the spider or me. So no we can NOT get a tarantula for that reason - he ahs bought toy ones and scared me with them before so I know he would.

But yes, I HAVE held a tarantula :) I think her name was Rosie and she was at Insect World at the Dobbies garden Centre in Edinburgh :) They have Trinidadian Leaf Eating ants racing around on string carrying bits of leaf all around the building above your heads - very cool to watch!!



Where did you live as a child?

I grew up at 8 Font Lane, in the village of West Coker, near the town of Yeovil in the County of Somerset, which is in the South West of England. Children made a rhyme up that went 'Jane the pain from 8 Font Lane' hahahahaha! which sounds like I was bullied but I never was! Which is odd because I was always small for my age so you'd think I would be the perfect 'victim' for bullying! But I guess I always was that 'pain' ;)


The village where Lloyd and I grew up:
www.somerset3d.co.uk/logos%20&%20pictures/town%20&%20village%20pages/westcoker.htm

This is Yeovil, our nearest town and where my Sister Clare lives with Oliver, Danny and Isaac. Where my parents get their groceries and where I went to high school etc:
www.yeoviltown.com/photogallery.aspx

This is the church I attended as a child and is the church that was linked to my school:

www.achurchnearyou.com/west-coker-st-martin-of-tours/

Here is a picture of the church. We had to walk through the churchyard on our way to and from school every day There was a huge tree in front of the Church - I think its a Yew (???) that is traditionally planted in front of every church in England....and the one in front of our Church was hollow and we could stand inside of it! English churches are cold and drafty places:

www.geograph.org.uk/photo/897165

And this is the local pub/ bar in West Coker my friend Rebecca lived there when I was growing up so I went there to play a few times and it was right by my school:
www.pubsulike.co.uk/pubs/images/BA229ATTC-1.JPG



What pets did you have as a child?

How did you decorate your room as a child? As a teen?

What was your favourite thing in your childhood home?

Did you play sports as a child?

(I'll be back later to answer these)

My Monday...

I was going to meet a friend at Kidz Quarterz today to pass on my homeschooling magazines and some other homeschooling bits that I no longer need, but last night I was feeling so ill - swollen glands and a sore throat and ear ache and as Lloyd has not felt well for days I thought it best to let my friend know that we are full of germs - to give her the option to postpone! I always think its best to warn people - especially coming up to Christmas - I hate to make people sick by spreading germs without warning them! We ended up postponing KQ.

Anyway I have been taking some high dose garlic oil tablets and a C-Boost smoothie drink that brovides something like 2000% of your vitamin C needs and this morning I didn't feel too bad!! I decided that instead of going to KQ I would go to Dollarama with Sam and and take him to see the animals in Pet Smart as a treat instead! I was going to mention this little trip to Val because I know her views on germ sharing....ie we often go to breakfast together when our kids are off school sick....yes we are terrible Mothers who put our own socialising needs first!!! ;)

The funny thing is that I woke up to find a message from her asking if I'd be interested in heading to Dollarama with her and her youngest!! So we both had the same idea! So thats what we did! We did some shopping there, headed to the pet store to look at the fish, birds and animals - saw the cutest Harley davidson gear for their piggy - too funny! Had a quick stroll around Winners and then headed to McDonalds so the boys could play in the play place while we chatted some more!

It was a really nice day :)

I came home to find the workmen had filled in the window in my pantry - something I have wanted done since we moved in!!! Yay! And they have started putting on the lovely new white siding on the house at the back - it looks soooo much nicer than the horrid grey :) The house is going to look so lovely and pretty when its all white with the wraparound porch all done :)

Now I am tired and my throat is hurting again - why are colds etc so much worse in the evening - I was fine all day but its catching up with me now :( Time for another garlic capsule!

Feeling very grateful......

I've just spent the last little while unwrapping some of my Christmas decorations. Special sentimental keepsakes - some of which go back to my childhood. Others that have been gifts over the years from family and friends - others that are treasures my own children or my Nephews have made for me.

My home is feeling a little more festive and as I look around it I am reminded of Christmases past. there is the reindeer I bought in Florida when I was 8 years old at 'Rogers Christmas House' - amazed at the fact that there was a store completely devoted to all things Christmas open in the middle of June!!!! There is the Santa boot that I bought in Harrods when shopping in London with my Mom one year. The Santa advent calendar that the children get excited to display each year December.....the stars I hand stitched last year for my little tree....my blue Santa that matches the cream one I bought for my In Laws - that caused my Brother In Laws problems at the airport - the security suspected he had stuffed it with drugs hahahaha! And then there is my amazing angel from South Street Seaport in New York City...the angel I fell in love with but didn't return for because I thought she was too expensive and I didn't want to inconvenience everyone...and then my Ex Mother In Law surprised me with her!!!! She's sooooo GORGEOUS!!! These are just a few of the items I have put out today. Yes they are just 'things'...just 'stuff'...but they are irreplaceable to me.

As I was unwrapping them I was feeling extremely grateful to be able to unwrap them - that I still have them here. I know a family not too far away that isn't so lucky this year. :( I know that everyone keeps telling Tara that she can go shopping for new Christmas decor and sure shopping is fun - I too love to go and look around the Christmas displays each year and add to my collection each year. But its not the same. The sentimental aspect just isn't there. There is something special in those personal decorations - the ones that MEAN something to you. To your children.

So my heart goes out to Tara. And please - when you are unwrapping your decorations this year, please take a moment to think of Tara and her family and just remember how very fortunate you are.

Activities at the festival of trees......

A few of the things the children did at the festival......Laurie came too as he loves the one at the Shaw conference centre. They did say that the important things were missing - cookie decorating - the secret Santa Store - and the cookie store!!! They also love the gingerbread houses which is one of Lauries favourite things form the big festival in the city!!! So I think we will have to go next week!

Abby was MOST put out that there was no cookie decorating so I think I am going to have to whip up some sugar cookies this week and let her decorate some at home ;)

First Annual Festival of Trees....

Today we took the children to Sherwood Parks first annual Festival of Trees. we have been to Edmontons for the last few years, but we thought we would go and support Sherwood Parks very own and see what it was like! We knew it would be much smaller, but if these things are not supported in their early days, then the community will not continue them.

We had a lovely time there. It WAS a small event. Held in the Coast Hotel next to Millennium Place, but we had a lovely time. Many of the businesses in the area had sponsored Christmas trees to decorate, and there were a lot of crafts and activities for the children to join in with - and unlike the Edmonton Festival of Trees, these were FREE with admission! There was a magician, face painting, tattoos, choirs and solo singers (amazing singers!!) arts and crafts to buy, local charities selling Christmas wares...

All the little boys there seemed enthralled with a big tree that had a toy train whizzing around it....

I wasn't feeling very festive or Christmasy before going - I have only done a little shopping and only managed to get some of my Christmas cards sent off this week. Yet this afternoons Festival finally put me in the mood. I thought it would mean we wouldn't need to go to the Edmonton one next week but heading back to the car we all agreed that we WANT to go even more now (except Lloyd who groaned and rolled his eyes hahahhaha)!! He did however come home and get out my boxes of Christmas decorations though - I'm not putting up my trees until December, but I do want to put a few decorations now! I can picture my Moms face at this thought lol but here in Canada I know its ok to put up your decorations any time after Halloween :) No one will think you are too crazy!

Start 'em young........

Sam peeling potatoes for Daddy at dinner time - he did a great job but took about half an hour to peel one potato :)

Queen of hearts...she made some tarts....

Abigail is feeling fed up at the moment so I wanted to spend some time just with her, so today we made jam tarts together. We made two different kinds together - some we made in ready made frozen pastry shells, and some we made in proper pastry! She loved having to roll the pastry out and cut the circles out...and she liked being able to make a HUGE jam pasty at the end that she got to eat herself! I liked the ease of standing beside her and just filling pastry shells while she was busy!!! :) You can see her big pasty on the rack and a mixture of the jam tarts in the picture above :) I must admit that her jam tarts taste MUCH better!!!

Feeling crafty :)

Today I managed to get all of my ATC's done for the swaps I'm in at the moment! I did all my nature swap ATC's and the one for my Frog Swap! All ready to send off! I can't add the pictures of the nature swap because they are for people who read my blog - so you will have to wait to see them, but I'm really happy with them :) I've started work on the New Year atc's for the swap I'm organizing too!

Then I worked on a little album I'm making of my family. It's been a while since I worked on a mini album. I didn't get much done but I've made a start.

I spent a while cutting up lots of card stock in size for future atc's too - I find this makes it a much faster job to make them when I need to do them - and I made quite a few up in watercolour cardstock as I love painting atc's.

It was windy out today again - the last couple of months have been so windy here - still very little snow or rain but soooo much wind! The rest of the country seems to have had a lot of snow so I have no idea why it keeps missing us, but thats fine with me! But this wind - WOW!!!!! It was nice to snuggle up and stay home and just craft!!!

Guess who......

Lol....oh the styles these kids wear ;)

Twilight - possible spoilers - but Stacey knows already lol!

I had a wonderful evening - going was soooooo much fun! We got there two hours early and the line up was quite long already - full of teenaged girls with nothing better to do but the atmosphere was sooo much fun!!! It was BUZZING!!!

I thought the movie was disappointing - there were some really good parts in it and it COULD have been really good - but it was runied by some VERY bad acting and some VERY CHEESY parts - OMG the part where Bella walks into the classroom by the fan....the whole theatre was laughing hysterically at how cheesy it was - and when the Doc walks in - it was so bad it was like a bad American soap opera!!! the worst kind - why they had to keep doing those terrible slow camera moves into Edwards eyes - it just made everyone in the theatre laugh when you weren't supposed to!

But it was such a fun evening! I really enjoyed going and there were parts of the movie that I really enjoyed - it's 50% great and 50% really corny!!!! It was great going to one of the first showings and everyone there being so excited to see it - most of the teens were dressed in Twilight gear and many of them had their books with them - and there were lots of screams when it first started - and lots of laughs at the funny cheesy bits the atmosphere MADE the night I had a great time!

The movie imo is NOTHING like the book....even things like the kitchen in Bellas house is nothing like the kitchen in my mind.....and Jasper...OMG!!! The only thing they had right to me was Alice's voice!! It's a shame they didn't go with a different director.....with these wonderful books they could have done so much more.

Lol thats jmho anyway

After the movie Lloyd and I went to Milestones for dinner and Lloyd said even our waiter looked like Edward - too funny! It was such a fun evening - Lloyd was a real sport to put up with waiting in line with all those teenaged girls - he was practically the only guy!!!! Luckily we got great seats near the back and by the aisle - perfect!!! I had my coffee for the movie too :) Dinner was yummy and the movie and atmosphere was fun! So the movie wasn't great but my evening was! :) I had a blast - Thank you Lloyd! YOU are all the Edward I need :)

Eeeeeewwwww!!

I just had to sign Susannahs school math test and it smells REALLY bad of cigarette smoke :( She wrote the test yesterday....so do the teachers smoke in the staff room still these days or does her teacher smoke THAT much at home while he marks papers???? For it to smell so strongly STILL???

I figured they wouldn't be allowed to smoke in the staff room these days - it can't be allowed right - here in Alberta???? So it must be at home while marking the papers?

Come and by my IMMEDIATE neighbour!!!

www.realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?propertyId=7750935

Our neighbours are selling - these are the people who used to live in our house!! They then built a house up in the top part of the land and sold off the major part of the land (where we are) and moved to their house that they are now selling. Their kids are grown up now and they have Grandchildren and I guess they no longer need their acreage..the boys will be sorry to lose their dog sitting job!

I have to say though that I have NO idea where this 'riding arena' is supposed to be...because I'm looking out of my window now and I can't see a 'riding arena' hahahaha um is that realtor speak for 'overgrown field with pretty white fence around it???? He's selling the place himself so I assume thats why he's used those terms....

Anyway I hope we get nice neighbours because they've been very good neighbours really. It's a shame it isn't one of the other neighbours - we want one of our other neighbours to sell - so we can buy the land - but these are the wrong neighbours because their land isn't really worth us buying.

Come and be my neighbour :)

Tara update.....

Please continue to keep Tara and her Daughter in your thoughts - they remain in hospital and Taras last update at 3am this morning was not good. 'K' remains in pain and vomiting. She has an NG tube (a tube that goes via the nose and throat into the stomach for nutrition normally but could be being used for an alternative reason) and IV and if this doesn't help will require surgery. Tara hasn't slept for 24 hours and was already sleep deprived prior to this because of nightmares due to the fire.

This is all so unfair with all they have been through. They really need a break!

Blown away.....

Being blown around by the wind yesterday at Millennium Place reminded me of the scene from Unfaithful where Diane Lane is blown about in Soho, New York City by the strong winds until she falls into Olivier Martinez and hurts her knee. It put me in the mood to watch the movie, so last night Lloyd and I snuggled up and watched Unfaithful while the wind continued to blow around our little house outside.

This morning the winds have died down and we are left with a dusting of snow and hazardous roads coated in freezing rain. There seem to be endless road accidents this morning in Edmonton. Lloyd drove Chris into the transit centre this morning and picked up coffee at Timmys before coming home - he's not working today (Yay). I'm having my hair cut at lunchtime and then this afternoon we are off to see TWILIGHT at the movies :) WOOHOO the day has finally arrived :)

Meteor over Edmonton yesterday!!!

Lloyd and Chris saw a flash over Edmonton on their way home form work yesterday. Chris came in and told me that they had heard on the radio that it was a suspected meteor!! So we put the tv on and sure enough they were saying it was a suspected meteor over Edmonton but they have no idea where it had landed and it had been seen in the sky all across Alberta and as far away as Saskatchewan!! Luckily some people caught it on camera but we didn't see these until this morning! Cool huh? Lloyd and Chris were lucky enough to see a little bit of history! :) I'm impressed but Lloyd isn't! I think it's very X-File-ish but of course Lloyd is all depressing and pessimistic (I tend to be Tiggerish and he is all Eeyore-ish lol) and he says it's more like Armageddon!!! hahahahaha)

My little Paddington Bear...

I've decided Samuel is Paddington Bear reincarnated!!! His favourite sandwich is a marmalade sandwich (which he is eating right this very second for breakfast) and he also LOVES cocoa to drink.

I think I'm going to have to find a Paddington Bear book for him for Christmas that mentions marmalade sandwiches and cocoa!!!

Thursday

Sam and Susannah are better now - luckily their stomach flu/ bug didn't last very long. 24hr thing was all it was and no one else in the house has picked it up so far YAY!!! Touch wood no one will I HOPE!!! We worked out that they picked up this bug in Kidz Quarterz on Sunday....they were the only two to really play in the indoor playground and less than 48 hours later both were ill. Seems to be the only thing connecting them both.

Last night Lloyd and I went out for date night. We headed backto A Taste of India. we've been there three or four times and ALWAYS had the same table - too funny! It's now known as our 'usual table' haha :) We had the buffet again because it's REALLY good - they didn't have my favourite dessert this time but they DID have the other dessert that I love which is just as good - Gulab Jamun!!! Mmmm which I had with their amazing creamy custard that they sprinkled with pistachio's. The beef Vindaloo was REALLY good - but over here they don't make Vindaloo hot like they do in the UK....it's so funny - I could never eat a Vindaloo back home as its the hottest curry EVER for me lol but here it's more of a medium curry and its lovely! It was a lovely evening...just sat chatting together....but I must admit that my mind kept returning to the thought of Tara and her Daughter....in the hospital...and all their family has been through lately :(

Today I had a few things I HAD to get done this morning but I ended up running late (as usual) and had to do a couple of them this afternoon instead. Never mind. Sam had Pre-K this afternoon and it was his 'Show and Tell' day too - he took his Wall-E to show everyone. Today they learned about Owls and learned to write the letter Oo!!! We got a letter to say they are having a skating party for his last day of school in a couple of weeks and parents get to go! That will be fun!

I was supposed to have dinner out with Val tonight...but she cancelled on me (Poo on her to use one of her quotes hahahaha imagine putting family FIRST!!!!!! lol) so instead I get to snuggle up with my amazing husband and stay in the warm which is no bad thing because my poor truck was getting blown across the highway LITERALLY today - oh boy those winds were strong - Sam and I turned the corner at Millennium Place and literally got blown across the sidewalk!!! It was so funny!! And sooooo cold!!! I had to cling on to Sam so tight or he would have been blown over!

Lloyd is off of work tomorrow YAY!!! I am having my hair cut and then I get to go and see MY EDWARD!!!! Yay Twilight is in theatres TONIGHT and we have tickets for tomorrow night :) OMG OMG OMG I am sooooo excited :) so so so excited :)

If you haven't read the book WHY ON EARTH NOT??????????

In my thoughts....

As if they haven't been through enough, Tara from www.cfmommy.blogspot.com who just weeks ago lost her home and all it's contents to a housefire, has spent the last day or so going back and forth to the Stollery Childrens Hospital at the U of A, with her Daughter. As many of you know, her Daughter has Cystic Fibrosis. 'K' had stomach flu and was vomiting and had terrible stomach pains and was rushed in with a bowel obstruction. She was given IV meds that seemed to help and was allowed home but last night became ill again and went back in. I believe this morning she is back in again on Doctors advice!!

This family has been through SOOOOOOOOOOO much this year - endless hospital stays, the house fire and now this.....please keep them in your thoughts as I'm not sure how much more they can take. If you have time please drop by Tara's blog and leave a few words of support! I know those words mean a lot to Tara when she has time to read them!

A Sam-ism...

This morning Sam came up to me and said:

"Mom I'm scared, I think real Goblets are going to get me"!!!

Quote of the day!!!

"Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she'll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit.”

Come and join us!!!

www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=52429368744

I'm organizing a swap:

Many of us have not had a great year and will be very glad to see the back of 2008...I know I for one can not WAIT for 2009 to start!!!

To celebrate, I'd like to hold a New Year/ Welcome to 2009 themed ATC swap!!!

Because this time of year is busy, you will make just one atc for each participant, but feel free to go overboard and glam it up with all the glitz you want for the New Year - have a party on paper ;)

Sign up by December 1st and atc's, self addressed envelope need to be to me by Dec 15th so I can have them returned to you all in time for New Year - giving plenty of time for all the Christmas mail slowness!

There are less than the normal number of atc's so I'm not sure how much postage will be - I guess it depends how many we get signing up!

To sign up just click on the link at the top and come and join in at the Facebook Group - Addicted to ATC's...We'd love to have you join us!!! Beginners welcome, Feel free to ask questions there and find out all about swapping ATC's!!

Alberta's Economy and oil prices...

www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2008/11/18/edm-second-quarter-alberta.html?ref=rss

Changing plans...

Plans keep changing on me - this past weekend all my plans got changed and now today all my plans have changed. Sam ended up being sick all night so Lloyd has taken the day off to take Chris to his dental appointments. Chris has to have two teeth extracted today - and he can NOT miss the appointment because he's on a schedule and has to have two MORE extracted next week and then the following week has to have his braces fitted at the orthodontist so if he misses todays appointment the whole schedule is messed up. So I stay home with Sam who is sick and has to miss Pre-K, and Lloyd is taking Chris to his appointment.

Wall-E comes out on dvd today and Lloyd wants to pick it up. we are disagreeing on whether we should watch it today or put it away for Christmas. I think it should be put away for Sam for Christmas. Lloyd says we should watch it TODAY. I was going to win. But now Sam is sick I KNOW I will lose. Sigh......

So Lloyd is off on Friday too which makes this a three day week. And last week was a four day week....so thats nice.

So I am stuck at home today instead of my very busy day that I did have planned - rushing about in town and getting some Christmas shopping done as well as the dental appointments and taking Sam to Pre-K, and dance and library tonight..

So on my to do list today instead:

address and package up all the packages and Christmas cards to go to the UK as they all have to go next week.
Package up the next set of packages to go to the girls we sponsor.
continue my writing course work - some of which you saw yesterday in a blog post ;)
Start my nature atc's for the addicted to atc group swap

This of course is as well as snuggling up with a sick little boy while his Daddy is out - when Daddy is home he just wants Daddy!

Things I like...

(Taken from Jennifers blog):

I love love LOVE The Twilight books.....in fact I love Twilight ANYTHING....but then you already knew that RIGHT?????? lol. 4 days until I see the movie :) In fact in 4 days I will have seen the movie now :) OMG I'm like sooo excited I could scream like a 12 year old :) I'm pathetic, what can I say......

Right now I'm loving the song that I added a couple of posts down and that they use on the TLC channel to advertise 'Jon and Kate Plus 8' and 'Little People Big World'.

I love nibbling Sun Rypes Fruit Source Mini Bites....they're like little wine gums but they're all fruit and veg so they're actually GOOD FOR YOU!!! You can eat 23 of them for 130 calories!!!!! OMG!!! And they're so juicy and yummy!!! And yet they count towards your portions of fruit and veg!!!

Avenue magazine...Edmontons wonderful lifestyle magazine. It's free and can be found in grocery stores and at the mall etc but its full of great articles and reviews about our city :)

Martha Stewart writing pens - Jessica Sprague who is teaching my writing course recommended these pens and I have to agree - they are wonderful - they come in lovely colours and are just really great to write with!

My mail box - because its full of such fun mail since I joined Swapbot and Facebooks group: 'Addicted to Atc's'.....

Waking up in mid November on mornings when it is above freezing and where there is NO snow :)

What things do YOU like at the moment?

Home reno blog...

...got updated yesterday and today.....

It's a Beautiful Life

I love this song from the commercial for the Monday Family Night on TLC.....

Cairo and Grayson...

On their blanket in the mudroom....like two old grumpy men sat there together.....

Random questions....

What are the last 5 stores you shopped at and what for? 

Safeway for a pizza and salad and Oprah magazine yesterday. On Saturday at Home Depot for a new door for the mudroom. Michaels for a crocheting kit and ribbon. Please Mum for pants for Sam. People magazine in Safeway (I wanted to read about the Obamas since winning the Presidency but the whole issue is excellent by the way!!!) and a few groceries on Saturday.




What is changing in your life right now? 

My home is changing as we are having major renovations done. I am changing as I have lost 50lbs this year and have had my hair go from long to VERY short. My friendships have changed greatly in the last year or so and I have had some new and wonderful friendships start in recent months and have grown closer to friends that were already in my life. I have also come to realise that effort that I was putting in to some friendships was not being returned in a way that I needed. As hard as this was to face I needed to face this. I also finally saw someone for who they really were and removed them from my life. I feel better for having their games out of my life.

My interests have changed. Our plans for the future change with the volatile economy and remain flexible. Our family will change in the new year when our Nephew joins us. Abigail started school in the Fall and was diagnosed with OCD and tourettes. Sam is now in Pre-K two afternoons a week and I have a lot more time to myself.

My life is changing as my children are getting older as I develop new interests and as Lloyd and I get much more time for ourselves. I'm still not sure what I want to DO yet...I know I want to do more voluntary work....but I'm not sure where or how or when...although I think I have an idea.....Maybe after Christmas when Sam is back in Pre-K I could spend those afternoons volunteering.....




What is your usual order at Tim Hortons and at McDonalds?

At Timmys my order is either a mediium double double and a twelve grain bagel double toasted with butter (of which I will eat only the top half) OR I will order a croissant and jam with a double double but I can only drink half a double double. If I'm in there for dinner then I will order a soup like a hearty vegetable or chicken and rice or whatever!.....Thats my order.....

At McDonalds I always order the same thing. A happy meal with a hamburger. I give half my fries to Lloyd because i don't like the fries much and I have a diet coke. I get the toy which I give to whichever child behaves best! If I deserve a treat I will get a fruit pie!!! YUM!!!! :)





Name five things that are in your refrigerator right now?

strawberries, orange juice, pilsbury fudge brownie dough, defrosting skinless chicken breasts for tomorrow, lean ground beef for tonights cottage pie.



What was the best trip you ever took? Why do you consider it the best? 

Although our Disney holidays were fantastic, when I think of wonderful holidays, I still think of Canmore this Summer. The sad thing is, that Susannah and Laurence weren't there, but apart from that, that week away was just so perfect. It was what a 'holiday' should be! It was a just so completely relaxing! We did nothing but relax. We swam in the pool, relaxed by the lake, fished, ate out, watched movies in the condo and just rested. It was only a few hours from home, nestled in the beautiful Rocky Mountains and was just heavenly. I have such wonderful memories of stress free days - Abigail feeding the gophers, Sams face catching that first fish! swimming in the dark! And Sam asked for so long after if we could pac up our things and move to 'the house with the sliding door and the pool and the hot tub'........





List 10 experiences in your life that you’re thankful for? 

In no particular order:

1. Living in Scotland for a while and getting to see that beautiful country and learning about it's history and meeting some of it's people! Loch Ness, Edinburgh Castle, George Street, Browns, Stirling, and all of the other places we toured and visited.

2. Living with/Being married to someone from a totally different background and culture for 12 years and being able to experience New York City, Brooklyn, Calypso, Caribbean music and foods and having my 3 oldest children because of that.

3. My training as a psychiatric nurse and my training as a counselor..my time in the womens centre in Blackburn, counseling and ANY work I've done counseling whether with friends or voluntarily since. I may not have worked in a VERY long time but I don't think ANY of my training was wasted. It seems not a month goes by without me needing to utilise my skills in one way or another and so I am very grateful that I have that training. Even my time in the Methadone clinic and addictions unit - the heroin centre - as much as I did NOT enjoy my time there and still do not think that that program worked, I do think I gained a lot form going there. Even if it was only to know that I CAN be brave enough to walk through the door!

4. Going to Herblay, France when it was twinned with our home town. I went with a group of teens from my home town, including Louise (my school friend who sometimes reads my blog and who is on Facebook with me) and with a couple of adults. we went in a minibus on the ferry across the English channel and drove down to Herblay which is a town in the suburbs of Paris. I stayed with a French family there who were very welcoming - the Meron family. They had two daughters Laurence and Sandrine. I didn't speak very good French but that didn't stop me having SUCH a great time! To be honest our teachers didn't keep a very good eye on us and we were left to our own devices a lot of the time and we had a great time - we were left to roam Paris and Herblay on OUR OWN!!! I remember having hot chocolate and croissants in an outdoor cafe on top of this glamorous department store....overlooking the Eiffel Tower...and buying a scarf from a street seller...and then ending up in a seedy area and having these old seedy looking guys looking at us....Oh and then on the way home the boys we were with had bought fireworks and stuffed them into the seats of the minibus but they got caught!!!! and all got in trouble on the ferry! I've been to France twice and the two trips are a little muddled in my head....on one trip I stayed with a family who lived above a horse meat shop that they owned. I went to school with one family as it was part of the French Exchange programme at school. We visited the Bayeux Tapestry and the Palace of Versaille as well as the sites of Paris....I didn't eat horse meat though - they gave me artichoke hearts instead ;) I'm a little more adventurous in my eating habits these days :)

5. Keeping bees. I don't know if my bees will make it through the Winter. If they don't make it through the winter I don't know if we will order new packages next year - we WILL get new packages once we are SURE we know where will be staying long term, but maybe not NEXT year...but I do know that we LOVED having them THIS year and all that we learned from them...just spending time with them and around them...learning from these amazing insects- how they live as a community together, working together for the better of the hive and their Queen. Seeing babies being born...watching Sam delving in for the honey. Seeing children come here who are scared of bees and yet seeing them get closer and closer to the hive and then putting their hands in and sticking their fingers amongst the bees to taste honey and then going back for more no longer afraid! Rescuing the sticky drunk bees with Lloyd.....rescuing the bees from the workshop...the excitement of catching my first swarm!!! All in all it was a wonderful experience that I will never forget and would never have wanted to miss and even if I don't do it again this coming year I WILL do it again - I soooo hope the bees make it through!

6. Taking the gamble to leave my Ex and go and stay with Lloyd almost 8 years ago. Anything could have happened. But I think I just KNEW it was the right thing to do. It just felt RIGHT. And I've never regretted it. NEVER. Never EVER. When you can say that so completely sincerely then no one can argue with you. I love Lloyd so very much and just can't imagine being with anyone else ever - I can't imagine growing old with anyone else. I never grow tired of being around him. He can take weeks off of work and I still don't want him to go back to work. Yes of course he drives me nuts at times - we're human!!! But we make up as quickly as we fall out....and it tends to be over silly things (like not buying sugar - lol Stacey!!!) I miss Lloyd all day when he's at work and love that he phones me and emails me frequently through the day....and yes I can picture my Mother rolling her eyes at this now ;)

7. Giving birth 5 times. Each birth was so very different. I also feel quite lucky to have had children with two different men. Only because its so special to see that 'first baby' moment and I got to see that TWICE!!! My first labour lasted 34 hours and was an epidural birth - the epidural slowed things down and in the end was a forceps delivery. It wasn't the best delivery and I ended up having stitches. The nurses afterwards were patronising and unfriendly and as he was my first baby I felt like I didn't know what I was doing. Laurence was my second and it was a 9 hour labour and the end went so fast that there was no time for the epidural - I panicked when they told me that but it was actually a GOOD thing and I am so glad that I couldn't have an epidural. I would never have another one now! Susannahs birth was the best one DESPITE everything that went wrong! We both almost died....which makes it sound crazy that it was my best! But I had wanted a natural home birth. All four of my first pregnancies were Midwife managed and delivered in the UK. I was going to have a home a home birth with Susie but she ended up going so far over her due date (19 days) and was so big that my Midwife induced her the day before she was going on holiday - just so I would have my own midwife with me. A choice we made together. My labour and delivery last two hours. Susie then got stuck coming out and had the cord around her neck. My Midwife managed to turn me onto my side quickly and get Susie out finally and then I started to haemorrhage badly. I remember sitting up seeing this lake of blood coming out of me - it was amazing to see all that blood just pour out of me. They rushed Susie off because she was in shock and Nigel was standing there looking panicked not knowing whether to run to me or to Susie...and then I passed out and they gave me oxygen and started squeezing on my tummy.

Susie ended up in special care and they eventually took me down to see her. She looked wrong being in there next to all the premature babies because she was HUGE - she filled the incubator. She was all bruised. Her eyes were all filled with blood from the pressure of the birth and her first pictures had to be taken while she was asleep.

Abigails birth was induced two weeks early because she was getting big already and they didn't want a repeat of Susannahs birth. Not a bad thing as for the third time I had symphisis pubis dysfunction so was happy for the pain to be over. During Abigails birth the cord prolapsed and came out of the cervix before the head...its the strangest feeling - you can feel the pulse of the cord hanging down into the uterus......of course its very dangerous for the baby - if the head pushes down on it, it cuts off oxygen to the baby and the baby can die - so the midwife put her hand up inside and pushed Abigails head back up while Lloyd hit the emergency button and called for the crash team and the midwife tried to push the cord back up over Abigails head! This she managed to do! Amazing! After the birth which lasted about 13 hours, I had a shower and ended up passing out. Lloyd had gone to get me some fresh clothes and a few things and came back to find me slumped in a wheel chair looking very pale!

Sams birth was here in Canada and was VERY different to my other births - it was very medical - we weren't used to doctors being involved but luckily my doctor was quite late to the birth so Sam was delivered by a British Midwife :) JUST!!!! Woohoo! :) 5 out of 5 :)

Five fairly eventful births but all of them amazing experiences with five very healthy outcomes ,that I would never have wanted to miss out on. I was lucky enough to be able to breastfeed all my children - I breastfed mainly out of sheer laziness which is really why I do anything! I jsut couldn't be bothered with all that bottle fuss...breastfeeding is just so quick and easy and hassle free for me - you can just roll over and its there....when you're out it's there....you don't have to wash anything or fetch anything or do anything....or clean anything. I am not a breastfeeding activitist - I don't mind what everyone else does. Each to their own, but I'm happy I breastfed mine.

8. Ice skating on Clarkdale Pond about four years ago with my friend Linda. Having been raised in England and told NEVER to stand on icy ponds...in fact STAY AWAY from icy ponds and rivers, I have always had a fear of going near ice on ponds and rivers - even here in Canada. I love skating on ice rinks, but had never been brave enough to skate on a pond. Then one day my friend Linda suggested I go with her, for some exercise and some fresh air one afternoon. I took her up on her offer and one sunny January afternoon found myself lacing up my skates by the side of Clarkdale pond. Alberta's endless blue skies and sunshine were above me as I took my first step onto the ice and heard it crack below me. Linda reassured me that those cracks are normal and even seeing the water moving about a little below is normal too...the air bubbles are fine.....all was well....the ice is checked regularly and it's safe! The fears you get from growing up somewhere where it just doesn't get cold enough to go near ice!!! Soon I was skating on the icy pond and forgetting my fears and I was LOVING it!!! It was at THAT moment when I truly felt I was in Canada. THIS was Canada!!! This was what being Canadian and what living in Canada was all about! Skating on a frozen pond at -20 on a bright sunny day in January :) I couldn't stop smiling!

9. While I was nursing, one of my clients was extremely ill with anorexia nervosa. She became so ill that doctors gave her just hours to live. I was given the honour of spending the last few hours of her life with her....I spent those hours making her comfortable, washing her hair, bathing her, feeding her...talking with her, writing for her.....supporting her...just being with her. Something happened that day and amazingly she didn't die.....she pulled through....she stayed alive! I managed to persuade her to go to a special eating disorder unit in another city where she got the help she REALLY needed. She's not 100% cured even today but 17 years later she's STILL ALIVE and we're still in touch - still friends - still write to one another and send Christmas cards etc :) I'll never forget that day though when she was so close to death that the doctors almost gave up on her and I was basically saying goodbye to her.....I was 19 years old and I think that experience had a huge effect on me.

10. Our trip to Whistler last year was amazing...it was all expenses paid, for our whole family, Lloyd and I had a Lincoln Navigator while we were there but the children travelled with the rest of our group in chauffeur driven limousines. We spent a few days in suites at The Fairmont Chateau Whistler and ordered room service and had the most amazing meals in the restaurants as well enjoyed the heated outdoor pool with a bear walking just outside the fence....the pool was beside the snow capped mountains....we attended a wonderful champagne reception with 'the Queen' (lol) and a wonderful dinner....and were completely spoiled rotten. Then we spent a few days at a different hotel near Vancouver where we had tickets to see a comedian, went to the casino, visited Stanley Park and the Aquarium...before being chauffeur driven back to the airport. It was incredible....I don't know if we will ever experience life like that ever again - it was amazing to see my children being driven around in such luxury - seeing the chauffeur rush to get an umbrella for Susannah as she stepped from the car just to go to McDonalds!!! Then when she forgot her purse he rushed back with her with the umbrella! The sad thing is that I felt sooooo at home at Chateau Whistler - having the next days weather forecast left on my pillow - having my bed turned down for me at night.....room service......valet parking so we never got wet when it was raining as the car was brought to the door for us.....and the wonderful heated pool by the mountain......I want to go back - and the waffles!!!!!! MMmmmmmmm

I want to be THAT rich ;) lol!!!




If you read this YOU'RE TAGGED!!! ;)

squirreling it away for Winter......

Lloyd has named our squirrel Frank.....and Frank has a 'mate' it seems....Susie spotted Frank with his 'friend' on the porch this morning...the first time we have seen two of them!!! I guess he spread the word that we are good hosts ;) We now buy squirrel food by the bagful at Home Depot.....they sell these bags of weird looking corn that you are supposed to attach to squirrel feeders but Lloyd hasn't made my squirrel feeder yet! So our squirrels are just nibbling them off the ground!

Grayson keeps trying to catch one of the squirrels but they are much too fast. Cairo is too fat and lazy and slow to even try. Jaspers a bit of a ditzy blonde lol...but he tries! He's still so kitteny in some ways!

funny words.....

You know when you post a comment on some blogs you have to type in those funny jumbled letters as a type of security against spammers...I was just typing a comment on a blog and the letters that came up spelled 'redcoc' not quite spelled correctly but if you read it...well lets just say it made me laugh ;)

It's 11:42am and a lazy Sunday morning.....Lloyd brought me breakfast in bed....so I've had two cups of coffee now and he brought me marmalade on toast. I told him I'm having trouble getting motivated to get out of bed.....he laughed and said not to worry about it. He has gone to do the mudroom (we bought some storage for it yesterday which I will photograph later - I am sick of washing the snow pants and then having the cats sleep on them and then having to wash them again so we bought some drawers for the snow pants and gloves etc etc)...anyway instead of telling me to GET UP, Lloyd just said to stay in bed and when he is done in the mudroom he will come up and rip the covers off of me ;)

Deal ;)

Very first attempts at crocheting...

I bought a beginners kit for crocheting today and have been watching learn to crochet videos at youtube. At first it was driving me crazy - I couldn't get the tension right, I kept dropping stitches.....it was a MESS. Then I got going fine...then it would mess up again..then I thought I'd done a million stitches but it was only about 5cm long!!!!

Anyway, my friend Holly suggested I use a bigger hook so I tried that and although it makes much bigger stitches which I don't much like the look of, I am at least doing regular stitches and regular tension and going faster and feeling better about the whole thing and feel like I'm getting somewhere!

I'm crocheting!!!!

So I am going to stick with the big hook for now and learn with this and then change when I get a bit better! I bought two balls of yarn and will practice. But my goal is to one day make a ripple blanket like the one here:

mysewingserenity.blogspot.com/2008/10/first-born-ripple.html

Isn't it gorgeous? It reminds me of the stripy blanket I was given when I was a baby!

So no laughing at my very first attempts in the picture - there was a stage a couple of hours ago where I was close to throwing the stupid crochet hook out of the window!!! I'm glad I stuck with it!! Check out my friend Julies knitting and crocheting blog at: wittyknitting.blogspot.com/ not JUST about knitting!!! Her homeschooling family have been looking at sperm on the kitchen table......hahahahaha OMG THIS is why Julie will ALWAYS be my homeschooling role model :) and why I would give anything to be able to drive over for a cuppa and to catch up....because they just do the coolest things :) she knits, she homeschools and she wouldn't have batted an eyelid to the fact we kept a dead shrew on our kitchen windowsill in a jam jar.....

For Mom....

So far I can only find this ribbon at any of the stores....its the narrowest I can find. I grabbed it anyway as I figure I can always use it to send to our girls we sponsor for their hair etc otherwise.....let me know if its any use for Lynn at all or if I should keep looking for the finer ribbon.....I know this is much wider than you wanted but I can't find anything finer at the moment - maybe before the wedding I will though.....

Hi Lynn - I know this isn't the fine ribbon you want so I will keep looking but I grabbed it jujst because it had the maple leaf on it and was all I could find so far! Thought if anything you might be able to make use of it for something - on balloons or chairs.........something!

Which swap?

Can you guess which swap these are for???? Lets just say I am sorely disappointed with them I received them today - they are on flimsy paper and are poorly made....stickers stuck on a piece of paper do not an atc-make!!!! And the note that was sent was written in a 'can't be bothered' attitude. I really got the feeling from it that the person who sent it wasn't botherd to even try. I had to give a 5 because she sent what she had to send - 2 atc's. But they don't match the swap in my opinion AT ALL :( I did NOT give a heart :(

I was so excited to get this swap too. I took sooooo much time making the atc's for this swap - throwing away many before having some I felt were good enough....HA....NOW you all know what swap it was huh?????

I know art is in the eye of the beholder and it's all in the interpretation but PLEASE...... :(

more dragonfly atc's

Here are my second set of dragonfly atc's that I received from the swap at Swap-bot - aren't they gorgeous?

distractions

Another game that entertained Sam for ages today was to cut a slot ina box and let him pop coins through it - I gave him a big pile of coins and the box with the slot and he had fun just pushing coins through the slot in the box for ages.....then playing with the coins on the big plastic lid. I just made sure to wash his hands well afterwards.

I'm taking an online writing class right now so I'm finding lots of new ways to keep Sam occupied :) And yes he WAS painting and playing with the coins on my bedroom floor!!! ;)

Craft time...

Sam did some painting and gluing this afternoon....he painted a Christmas Tree and then glued on some sequins to decorate it....very pretty Sam!

Toadstool atc

Here is the toadstool atc I received in the swap at Swapbot....the envelope was filled with wonderful confetti and the swapper also surprised me with a Twilight badge!!! Yay!! I get to wear my Edward everywhere I go :) 1 week until I go and see the movie :) My tickets are tucked away safely ready for next Friday :)